Expect to find fresh wind slabs at higher elevations, but buried weak layers remain the primary concern. The potential for large and destructive avalanches continues.
Winds have picked up and loose snow is available to build fresh and reactive wind slabs. Small wind slabs could step down to deeper weak layers producing very large avalanches.
Avoid areas where the snowpack thins, like steep, rocky start zones at treeline and alpine elevations. Weak layers are more easily triggered here.
No new avalanches have been reported.
Previous in the week, large to very large slab avalanches were triggered naturally and by explosives, size 2 to 3.5. Primary concern is for further activity on these buried weak layers, producing large avalanches.
10 cm of new snow is expected by Sunday afternoon. New snow will fall over a variety of weak surfaces - a crust on sun affected slopes, surface hoar in sheltered terrain, and wind affected snow in exposed areas.
A widespread crust with weak facets above remains a concerning layer for human triggering. Buried 80-150 cm deep, this layer has produced very large avalanche activity this week.
The snowpack below the crust is generally strong.
Saturday Night
Cloudy with 5 cm of snow expected. Freezing levels drop to 1000 m. Southwest winds 30-50 km/h, gusting to 80 km/h.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy during the day with 5 cm of snow. 30-50 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Monday
Snow continues overnight, 10-20 cm.
Cloudy during the day with another 5-10 cm possible. 30-40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
Tuesday
Cloudy, 5-15 cm of snow possible. 30-40 km/h southwest ridgetop wind. Treeline temperature -4 °C. Freezing level 1500 m.
More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.
